Teen Arts NJ won a significant grant from the NJDEA - New Jersey Economic Development Authority. With these grant monies, we are hosting seven monthly Pop-Up arts events throughout Asbury Park. We rent out businesses to host art workshops in several mediums of art (visual art, music, performance, fiber/sewing...). These workshops are geared to middle-high school students.
On top of 6-8 free workshops available each month, we also partnered with several Asbury Park restaurants. Each person who participates in a workshop can choose a restaurant and receive a $15 voucher for a free meal (which does not expire until 12/31/26). So, the student/family can have a fun Friday night out monthly, be exposed to numerous mediums of art, take workshops, learn new skills, and enjoy a free meal each month. The businesses, art instructors, and restaurants all get paid while contributing to the community.
We are also going to incorporate a raffle where the participants can win free art gifts.
These events are free and open to the public, however, our target audience is students in Grades 6-12 accompanied by an adult. If someone comes with their sibling who is younger, we don't turn anyone away, but this is not something a toddler or young child can really participate in because the workshops are not created for that age level.

Starting this month, we will have a shuttle service doing a continuous loop from Kula Urban Farm to the downtown area. Starting in May-September, we will have two locations on the boardwalk participating, so the shuttle will have a stop there as well.

I have attached the flyer for our next Pop-Up, which is on Friday, April 3. We were hoping these can be distributed to the students and/or given to your Art Teachers.

We are also hosting an all-day "festival" in October at the House of Independents, but they gave our original dates to someone else and we had to change the date. When we get the new date secured and replaced on our marketing that lists all the dates and festival date, I can forward that as well.

These are the dates of our events (all Friday's):
April 3rd
May 1st
June 5th
July 10th
August 7th
September 18th

Festival, October 18th

Anything you can do to spread the word would be appreciated!